weed \ ˈwēd \ (noun) : a plant that is not desired where it is growing
Weeds can be an unsightly in the landscape. There are two different types of weed control products you should use to battle them:
- Pre-emergent herbicides are usually a granular product that creates an herbicide barrier that kills young weed seeds at the time of their germination. This is applied BEFORE germination.
- Post-emergents come in both granular and liquid form and work when applied to the foliage of weeds that are already growing, distributing the weed killer throughout. These are applied AFTER germination.
There are two types of sprayers you should have in your weed control arsenal.
- One for Selective Herbicides. “Selective” herbicides are designed for killing broadleaf weeds in your lawn without harming the grass.
- The second for Non-Selective Herbicides. “Non-Selective” herbicides are designed for spot spraying only specific weeds within your gardens and will kill almost anything that is green and living. Don’t use this one in your lawn since the overspray will kill the lawn grass. Do NOT use one sprayer for both purposes! The residue of non-selective herbicides doesn’t always wash out thoroughly and can be harmful to grass and other desirables. We always recommend keeping separate sprayers for all your spraying needs.
When you use granular pre-emergents in the landscape, they should be applied and then watered well into the soil and mulch. You can water it in yourself or if rain is expected within a day or two – you can let nature do it for you! We recommend Hy-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper. Please note that if you have any flowers that come back from seed (some people get reseeding of pansies or petunias for example) that applying a weed preventer in the landscape will stop those from germinating.
When you use liquid post-emergents, it is best to do so on dry leaves so the pesticide sticks rather than just run off to the ground. The solution needs to have contact with the leaves to be effective. Time your application when no rainfall is expected for at least 24-48 hours so the product does not get washed off of the leaves before it has the chance to do it’s job OR use Hy-Yield Spreader Sticker to increase the solutions sticking and absorption.
Fertilome Weed Free Zone is formulated to work best in cooler temperatures while Fertilome Killz All Super Concentrate works best in hotter months.
And don’t forget – sometimes good ol’ manual removal of weeds may be best for some spots! Using weeder tools can make this kind of task easier.v
For stubborn specialty weeds such as Bermuda Grass & Wild Violet – Hy-Yield Triclopyr Ester is a better choice. Sometimes these weeds can be extra stubborn so feel free to give us a call at 423-245-GROW or e-mail us at info@evergreenofch.com for more help.
